Ethnic Identity as a Buffer Between Negative Campus Experiences and Psychological Distress

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Recently, racial inequities and injustices have been highlighted by vivid examples of racial and ethnic bias in law enforcement’s treatment of people of color. This has led to an increase in racial tensions across various contexts. Given this, students of color may be experiencing greater frequency or intensity of negative racial experiences on campus, which could lead to increased psychological distress, or a state of emotional discomfort experienced in response to a specific stressor (e.g., anxiety; Ridner, 2003). Previous research suggests that psychological distress is related to negative campus climates (e.g., Budge et al., 2020). In a qualitative study of African American college students, perceptions about the campus climate were closely related to psychological distress (e.g., depression, anxiety; Clark & Mitchell, 2018). Ethnic identity has been found to reduce or exacerbate the effects of negative racial experiences on one’s well-being, with lower identification with one’s ethnic group relating to higher rates of psychological distress (e.g., Phinney, 2003; Yip et al., 2008). Therefore, a potential buffer against experiences of racism and associated stress for students of color may be ethnic identity (i.e., sense of belonging that one experiences with their ethnic group; Phinney, 1993). As such, an exploration of factors that may buffer negative racial experiences on campus and subsequent psychological distress is warranted. The purpose of the current study is to examine the role of ethnic identity as a moderator of racial campus climate and psychological distress relationships. Students (N = 101; M age = 21.73 years, SD = 3.62; 59% ethnically or racially diverse: 36% Latinx, 14%, mixed racial/ethnic, 9% Other) attending a 4-year public university responded to an online survey regarding academic success. We hypothesize that greater identification with one’s ethnic group will buffer the relationship between campus climate and psychological distress. Preliminary analysis of the ongoing study suggests that students' perceptions of their campus climate as more racist reported higher depressive symptoms (β = .12, p = .02). We then tested the moderating effect of ethnic identity for the model and found that the interaction between ethnic identity and perceptions of a racist campus climate on depressive symptoms was marginally significant ( β = -.12, p = .07). Data collection is ongoing and further analyses will continue to examine whether ethnic identity moderates other forms of distress (e.g., excessive substance use) experienced by students of color. Ultimately, these preliminary results highlight that racial tensions and psychological distress currently experienced by college aged students in the U.S. and the potential need for universities to examine and address racial biases on their campuses.

Authors

• Bernardo Sosa-Rosales, Humboldt State University
  Presenting Author

• Kevin Doug Cherry, Humboldt State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Dennis A Estrada, Humboldt State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Aaron Foster, Humboldt State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Edgar Jimenez-Madora, Humboldt State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tsolak M. Kirakosyan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria Mariscal, Humboldt State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Megan Davis, Humboldt State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria I. Iturbide, Cal Poly Humboldt
  Non-Presenting Author